Graduating on time gets push at UTSA

Updated 11:02 pm, Wednesday, October 3, 2012

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

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University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

Image 3 of 4

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

Image 4 of 4

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo Romo delivers the UTSA State of the University speech Wednesday afternoon Oct. 3, 2012 in the University Center ballroom.

Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

Graduating on time gets push at UTSA

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UTSA President Ricardo Romo has a message for slow-poke students: wrap it up in four years and graduate.

To sweeten the deal, the University of Texas at San Antonio will begin offering a financial incentive to keep college juniors and seniors on track, he said Wednesday in his annual state of the university address.

“It's as simple as this: If we admit them, we are going to graduate them,” Romo said.

The speech before 450 students and employees didn't plunge into the details, but the university's Four-Year Graduation Rate Improvement Plan calls for awarding $2,000 in financial aid to qualifying juniors and seniors during their final four semesters.

The effort is one of several to help boost four-year graduation rates — key to UTSA attaining its goal of “Tier One” status.

Romo also touted incoming donations to the university's first capital campaign and reorganization of its research division to better serve faculty.

University leaders have developed a plan to increase the four-year graduation rate to 25 percent for freshman entering in 2021. Of UTSA students who began their studies in 2007, only 10 percent graduated in four years, university data show.

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“It's going to take a sustained effort to see the changes that we want,” Romo said. “But we will see improvement in UTSA's graduation rates, and we will meet our targets.”

Up to 365 students could start receiving the financial aid this spring to help them graduate on time, according to the improvement plan. The program could cost the university up to $912,500 in the first year.

Raymund Paredes, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board commissioner who spoke before Romo's address, said the board is considering a similar incentive statewide. Graduating on time lowers the cost to the student and the state, he said, and students who take longer to graduate are less likely to complete their degrees.

Romo said the university's capital campaign fund had raised $110 million toward its $120 million goal, with the help of a recent $1 million pledge to benefit history students from John L. Nau III, president and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors, and his wife, Barbara “Bobbie” Nau.

“There's been this race among Texas public schools to be the next Tier One university,” Khalil said. “Whether or not we beat some of the universities we're in competition with, I think it's a very healthy thing for our community and university.”